
The teacher and his student are trending in opposite directions.
José Mourinho has led Tottenham Hotspur to four wins in five English Premier League matches as head coach since taking over for sacked manager Mauricio Pochettino, lifting Spurs to within three points of Chelsea for fourth place. Mourinho's former club, meanwhile, have lost four of five under manager Frank Lampard, creating an opening for their London rivals in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification.
Lampard played for Mourinho for parts of four seasons during the Portuguese manager's first stint at the club. He beat his old boss last season in the Carabao Cup, leading Derby County to a win on penalties over Mourinho's Manchester United at Old Trafford. Lampard has shown he can beat his mentor, but he'll likely be the one feeling the pressure when Spurs host Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
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"I think Frank needs this result massively," NBC Sports play-by-play commentator Arlo White told NBC Sports Bay Area on Thursday. "Just to re-establish that gap, just to steady the ship a little bit and to get the confidence back in his side because if they get swallowed up by Tottenham, then the momentum could be all in Tottenham's favor, and it's going to be very difficult for Chelsea to get it back."
At the time Mourinho took over Spurs on Nov. 20, Chelsea sat third in the table, a point clear of reigning champion Manchester City in fourth and nine ahead of fifth-place Sheffield United. White noted the Blues far exceeded expectations up to that point, relying upon a young core in the wake of a since-lifted transfer ban that prevented them from signing any new players this summer. But once-high-flying Chelsea have only scored four goals in their last five matches, even losing 1-0 at Stamford Bridge to West Ham (Nov. 30) and Bournemouth (Dec. 14).
Amid Chelsea's skid, the good vibes have shifted to their rivals in North London. Mourinho is striking a different tone, charming reporters with surprising positivity in the pressroom. Central defender Toby Alderweireld unexpectedly re-signed with Spurs this week, reportedly in part due to his relationship with Mourinho.
Spurs supporters are yet to sing Mourinho's name, still carrying a lot of strong feelings for the departed Pochettino and a wariness toward his successor, considering his Chelsea ties. A victory against them Sunday will go a long way towards Mourinho winning over the Tottenham faithful, but how long the honeymoon phase lasts remains to be seen, however.
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"They are definitely, definitely benefitting from a freshness," Mourinho said of Tottenham. "It's just how long the freshness lasts with Mourinho. At the moment, everything seems fantastic, but people seem to have very short memories when it comes to José. Things can go quite toxic quite quickly, so we'll see. I think the fact that this may be his last 'Big Six' job in England might just tailor his approach slightly, or affect his approach toward the job slightly. But at the end of the day, it's a results-driven business ... isn't it?"
Mourinho historically has done very well against his former clubs. He has never lost a home match against a former side, winning 12 of 13 such matches in all competitions.
That makes winning Sunday a tall order for Lampard's Chelsea, but it's a match the Blues desperately need to win in order to stop the bleeding.